The Palace of Darkened Windows eBook

“He’s got her!” thought Billy, and
first his heart leaped and then it sank. For
very dear to that boy’s heart had been the dream
of rescuing her himself. And then he hated himself
for that base envy. For what did it matter as
long as little Arlee was safe, and that she was gone
with Falconer, the empty room and the signs of hasty
departure all spoke in witness. He wondered sharply
how they had gone and whether he had better try to
follow them and then thought it was shrewder to go
back the way he had come and from below to try to
guard whatever descent they must make.

He turned swiftly and crossed to the door. With
a hand outstretched toward it he caught suddenly,
beneath all the distant din, the click of a sliding
lock, and he whirled about, dropping his right hand
into his pocket, to see a pale face staring at him
from the other side of the bed.

“Not a move—­or you drop!” said
Captain Kerissen. The candle lights glinted on
the muzzle of a gun leveled steadily at him.

“Stay where you are,” the Captain added,
and Billy stayed, and through the dusk the two men
stood eyeing each with a glare of hatred. But
Kerissen’s eyes held hatred triumphant.

“So, Monsieur,” said the Turk. “This
is the midnight call you gentlemen pay—­in
the chamber of my wife.”

“Your wife!” Billy gave a snort of unbelief.
“She says you did not marry her!”

“When you are found dead—­if you are
found,” the other continued, looking lovingly
along the sight, “there will not even be a question
into the cause. You will be carted off like carrion—­carrion
that prowled too near.”

“Just the same you’ve made a mistake,”
said Billy in a dogged and argumentative tone.
“I’m not interested in visiting any wife
of yours. The lady I’m representing says
you didn’t marry her. But she says you
did keep back most of her jewelry and she’s giving
the story to the papers to-morrow unless I return
with the stuff to-night.”

He could not guess what impression this speech was
making.

“I am not interested in your stories, Monsieur,”
the Turk returned blandly. “I am interested
only in your dispatching—­which I feel should
be prolonged beyond the mercy of a shot.”

“Look here, I’m not a common robber and
you know it,” said Billy, and his voice sounded
rough and angry. “I’m here to collect
the property of the lady you detained here, while
she was under contract in Vienna. I don’t
want anything more than belongs to her.
She left——­”

“With a great deal more upon her than she brought!
But am I to suppose, Monsieur, that you have made
your way here, at some personal inconvenience, I should
say, to discuss the generosity of my remuneration
to the lady?” There was a tense silence and the
Captain continued in a low, almost purring voice, “You
do not appear, even now, to comprehend the thing you
have done. I shall do my best to make you comprehend—­and
before I have finished it may be that I shall have
a clearer explanation of this impulsive call.
You have no notion, Monsieur, how certain things unloose
the tongue—­but you shall discover.”